Welcome to DBSTalk

Welcome to DBSTalk. Our community covers all aspects of video delivery solutions including: Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS), Cable Television, and Internet Protocol Television (IPTV). We also have forums to discuss popular television programs, home theater equipment, and internet streaming service providers. Members of our community include experts who can help you solve technical problems, industry professionals, company representatives, and novices who are here to learn.

Like most online communities you must register to view or post in our community. Sign-up is a free and simple process that requires minimal information. Be a part of our community by signing in or creating an account. The Digital Bit Stream starts here!

Nightmare service request

Recently, I have had some pixelation. Investigation shows it is just the dish needs re-peaking. I am a bit old and bad with heights. My dish is near my roof peak. at about 35' off the ground and a steep roof.
When the service ticket was started, it as noted about the height (need a 40' ladder) and that was steep.

Tech calls, is told the info by me. He arrives. States he does not 'do roofs' and leaves. Makes new appt for two days later and ensures me that a couple of guys will come, with safety ropes, and what ever else is needed.

Two days later. Tech shows up, alone, no safety gear, never read the ticket. Tells me his manager will call within 2 hours to make sure the job is done. No one calls....

I contact Directv today. Get the run around from the CSR's. Spend over three hours on the phone. I call back, to make sure the ticket is right and implore them to contact the supervisor at the local service office. Ticket is read back to me 'Needs dish aligned'. Nothing about what I just spent three hours on the phone trying to get them to understand.

What is the problem with them? Is my being a good customer for 13 years pointless?

Is there anyone that has a phone number (pm me) that will connect me to a person who is not a complete idiot at Directv?

<rant off>

"Make a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day. Light
a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."

Yeah, I was just about to do an email to the office of the president. I'll give them a link to this thread.

I just wish I could understand why they have such a extreme level of disconnect. I figure this problem has consumed about six hours (I live about an hour from the local field office) of their time so far and is not any closer to resolution.

Happy Holidays!

Edited by William1, 24 December 2012 - 03:07 PM.

"Make a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day. Light
a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."

Any possibility you can relocate the dish to a lower, more accessible location? It will simplify future service calls and in case you get any snow accumulating on your dish, you'll be able to clean it easier.

No, unfortunately. The roof location is critical due to tall trees and my some what 'valley like' location. DTV chose the spot. Snow is not an issue, at least it has not in the 13 year I have been here.

I'd like to think... if you tell people in advance (a heads up) about a slightly unique situation, they would plan accordingly. and not dependably drop the ball every time.

I currently have an appt (the third one) for Wed, 12/26. I am expecting it to be an abject failure once again. I wish I had more faith.

I used to have the name of one of the main guys at MasTech who would quickly resolve stuff. My neighbor used to work there too but I hate to impose on him because he is no longer working for them.

It just should not be this difficult for the customer.

It is too bad when you go on line and confirm the appt exists, you cannot see anoy of the notes or add any information.

"Make a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day. Light
a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."

I would call up the local office of the tech on Wed. morning and make sure they are aware of your special situation. Hopefully, by contacting them that morning before they leave, they will get everything together before they head out to your place.

LOL, and there in lay another part of the puzzle and problem, they do not take calls from customers. Calls to the local number send you to the call center... someplace. Where they in turn 'mark the ticket'.
Now getting someone to read the ticket before they assign jobs, that would be the trick. From what the two techs have shown me so far, no one even reads the ticket until they are sitting in the customers driveway.

"Make a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day. Light
a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."

A good % of the jobs are now dynamic dispatch. Meaning they get one job at a time and not until they are done with that job do they even know they have another or where it is much less know they need a 40ft ladder. Don't blame the techs 100% it is the system in place. Hopefully you will get resolved when they come out Wednesday.

LOL, and there in lay another part of the puzzle and problem, they do not take calls from customers. Calls to the local number send you to the call center... someplace. Where they in turn 'mark the ticket'. Now getting someone to read the ticket before they assign jobs, that would be the trick. From what the two techs have shown me so far, no one even reads the ticket until they are sitting in the customers driveway.

Here in town the local HSP office number is listed in the phone book under directv and gives the address as well. Calls can come straight to the local office.

Service tech called this morning, canceled the appt. due to weather (heavy rain, understandable) but he wanted to visit anyway to 'confirm signal issues'. I told him he is the third appt I have had in the last two weeks and the other two techs confirmed the issue. He seemed disappointed to not be able to make the visit. I asked about the second tech, proper safety gear, ect. and he said he wanted to see for himself (he seemed to be unaware of the need until I told him) before rescheduling again, I told him he was the third tech.

Bottom line is, there is no way for me to reach the local service center, none of the techs or dispatchers are reading the tickets before they send guys out.

Todays tech told me he will contact his supervisor (in Rochester NY??????) and have them call me. I am not holding my breath.

I know if I were running a company like this I'd be bankrupt very quickly. You can see why your bills are as high as they are to support this mis-management.

"Make a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day. Light
a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."

The Office of the President called in response to my contacting them on the 24th.

I was assured that it will be resolved. Due to weather (rain today and Saturday)and my own schedule, the soonest they can safely come will be Sunday. I have an appt. between noon and 4 PM, two men, proper ladder, safety gear and so on. I am fairly confident she has this resolved. Just a shame it is taking so much effort.

Communication, kind of ironic.

She also gave me her name and contact number.

"Make a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day. Light
a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."

I am going to give the OotP a shot. Others have had good results. I really think all that is needed is to communicate with a person who will speak to others in a position of decision making and not just a CSR robot what follows a script and gets to the next call. If the OotP actually speaks to the management of my local office, I am sure it will be properly resolved. However, it should never have to come to this. The first tech should of had a discussion with his manager. I will not speculate for the reasons the techs do not talk it over with the field office manager.

"Make a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day. Light
a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."

Any possibility you can relocate the dish to a lower, more accessible location? It will simplify future service calls and in case you get any snow accumulating on your dish, you'll be able to clean it easier.

I did this very thing myself. My SL-3 was on my roof 2 stories (carport) up. I've had some snow before that covered the dish and made HD/SD impossible. So I called DirecTV this past week and had a tech come out and relocate the dish to the ground. So if any snow collects then I can clear it. PLUS it's much safer if I need to replace a part. Since I don't have the protection plan. I wasn't about to climb 40+ ft on a ladder to do this.

However the tech just put a NEW dish on the ground vs removing and relocating the old one. He said it would be simpler and would leave me with a backup should the new dish get blocked by an encroaching tree in the summer.

Supervisor was here along with a lead tech. Re-dithered the dish, took care of a too short stinger. All signal strength in the upper 80's to 100's. He told me to call him direct if any issues. I am back to being a happy customer.

"Make a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day. Light
a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."